1 Topic by Matt S

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Topic: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Something in the latest episode of James Bond Radio struck a nerve with me. Neither John nor Tom liked the Moonraker gun barrel music, and I think it's because it sounds very muffled in the film. Moonraker's score might be my favourite of the entire Bond series, and I love the gun barrel music too. Because it sounds so muffled in the film, I was curious to hear how John Barry probably intended it to sound ,so I re-equalized the sound.

Listen here: https://youtu.be/cZgfG8t8xhY

I raised the highs quite a bit so the opening stabs have more attack and so that the trumpets really come through. I added reverb too so it sounds livelier. The whole thing sound sharper now. The opening stabs were also much lower in volume, and the first one fades in so there's no attack. I made the first stabs the same volume as the rest, but had a difficult time adding attack to the beginning, though I did what I could. It sounds much more fierce to me now in a way I never heard it before. I have no training in audio engineering, and this was just for fun.

Last edited by Matt S (26th Dec 2019 17:13)

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2 Reply by BIG TAM

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Do THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN gunbarrel too! My favourite Bond theme adaptation. I like that it's a bit speedier & lasts that little bit longer. It feels like Barry in transition from twangy guitars to full orchestra.

3 Reply by Golrush007

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

It sounds good Matt S, I like the added impact of the opening stabs.

The later John Barry gunbarrels have never been my favourite though. I feel like all of the 1963-1971 gunbarrels had very distinctive sounds which make them very interesting.

Then as Barry enters the Roger Moore era his gunbarrels start to become a bit less interesting to me in their variety. TMWTGG and MR are still fairly distinctive but then from OP to TLD they all sound pretty much the same to me which is a little disappointing. One wish I've always had is that Barry would have created a distinctive Dalton gunbarrel for TLD.

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4 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

BIG TAM wrote:

Do THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN gunbarrel too! My favourite Bond theme adaptation. I like that it's a bit speedier & lasts that little bit longer. It feels like Barry in transition from twangy guitars to full orchestra.

I will have a go at that, but it already sounds livelier than the Moonraker one, so I don't know how much I can do with it.

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5 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Golrush007 wrote:

It sounds good Matt S, I like the added impact of the opening stabs.

The later John Barry gunbarrels have never been my favourite though. I feel like all of the 1963-1971 gunbarrels had very distinctive sounds which make them very interesting.

Then as Barry enters the Roger Moore era his gunbarrels start to become a bit less interesting to me in their variety. TMWTGG and MR are still fairly distinctive but then from OP to TLD they all sound pretty much the same to me which is a little disappointing. One wish I've always had is that Barry would have created a distinctive Dalton gunbarrel for TLD.

I have to admit, the OP, AVTAK and TLD gun barrels are some of my favourites, even though they essentially are the same. I agree that Dalton should have had a more unique sound, especially since he had the drum machine for his Bond theme. But Barry probably thought the drum machine was too much for the gun barrel.

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6 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

I've created videos for John Barry's first twoRoger Moore gunbarrels. I've redone Moonraker with the gunbarrel footage, and I tried to line up the gunshot better with the video.

The Man with the Golden Gun: https://youtu.be/mMFkIL4s0Oc

Moonraker: https://youtu.be/cZgfG8t8xhY

The Man with the Golden Gun really sounds sloppy when the treble is enhanced. There are some wrong notes, and the musicians aren't all playing together.

I'm working on Octopussy now. It's one of my favourites and I think the music needs some help to hear it better.

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7 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

I've added two more:

Octopussy: https://youtu.be/1tHGQ7xx5Vw

A View to a Kill: https://youtu.be/DksmefiXMkY

Octopussy has long been my favourite gunbarrel sequence, and now I can hear new things in the arrangement and instrumentation.

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8 Reply by BIG TAM

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

First off, a bit late but a very Merry Christmas to all my fellow Bond fans.

Good work, Matt S. I do prefer it when you hear the big brass blasts over the white dots. I didn't like how David Arnold just went into the main theme for TOMORROW NEVER DIES & THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. Marvin Hamlisch did the same with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. Sound a bit flat by comparison.

9 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

BIG TAM wrote:

First off, a bit late but a very Merry Christmas to all my fellow Bond fans.

Good work, Matt S. I do prefer it when you hear the big brass blasts over the white dots. I didn't like how David Arnold just went into the main theme for TOMORROW NEVER DIES & THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. Marvin Hamlisch did the same with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. Sound a bit flat by comparison.

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too!

I completely agree. I thought Thomas Newman did the worst job by having the big brass over a black screen. Every time I hear that I think something went wrong. TLD is the last gunbarrel sequence I think is without fault, both visually and musically.

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10 Reply by BIG TAM

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Matt S wrote:
BIG TAM wrote:

First off, a bit late but a very Merry Christmas to all my fellow Bond fans.

Good work, Matt S. I do prefer it when you hear the big brass blasts over the white dots. I didn't like how David Arnold just went into the main theme for TOMORROW NEVER DIES & THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. Marvin Hamlisch did the same with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. Sound a bit flat by comparison.

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too!

I completely agree. I thought Thomas Newman did the worst job by having the big brass over a black screen. Every time I hear that I think something went wrong. TLD is the last gunbarrel sequence I think is without fault, both visually and musically.

I too have come to the conclusion THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has the best gunbarrel. Great arrangement of theme & strident walk by Dalton. Classic.
Of the none John Barry arrangements, I like George Martin & Bill Conti best. Love Moore's firing at camera in his first two.
And of course my fondest affection for Barry's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER arrangement. Don't like Connery's wonky swivel but do like the sepia sheen on the gunbarrel. And I love the thick twangy guitar sound compounded by the brass stabs.

11 Reply by Colonel Smithers

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Nice job on those Matt S.
ajb007/martini

12 Reply by Matt S

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

Colonel Smithers wrote:

Nice job on those Matt S.
ajb007/martini

Thank you! I'm glad you liked them.

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13 Reply by emtiem

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

BIG TAM wrote:
Matt S wrote:
BIG TAM wrote:

First off, a bit late but a very Merry Christmas to all my fellow Bond fans.

Good work, Matt S. I do prefer it when you hear the big brass blasts over the white dots. I didn't like how David Arnold just went into the main theme for TOMORROW NEVER DIES & THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. Marvin Hamlisch did the same with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. Sound a bit flat by comparison.

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too!

I completely agree. I thought Thomas Newman did the worst job by having the big brass over a black screen. Every time I hear that I think something went wrong. TLD is the last gunbarrel sequence I think is without fault, both visually and musically.

I too have come to the conclusion THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has the best gunbarrel. Great arrangement of theme & strident walk by Dalton. Classic.
Of the none John Barry arrangements, I like George Martin & Bill Conti best. Love Moore's firing at camera in his first two.

I think he might actually miss though! If you watch closely I think he fires way off target then points the gun at the camera ajb007/biggrin

14 Reply by humbuster

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Re: Gunbarrels with Enhanced Audio

It would be nice if all of the Gunbarrels were issued in a compliation CD